Alliance Special Forces
Alliance Special Forces, better known as SpecForce, were the branch of the Alliance Army that were attached to Alliance High Command (the rest of the Army consisted of the various Sector Forces). Specifically selected for high skill, morale, bravery, and dedication to the Rebel cause, SpecForce soldiers were often either from subjugated worlds, or were Imperials disillusioned by the government's tyranny. Rebel forces tended to be more individualistic and ragtag than the forces of the Imperial Military. SpecForce should not be confused with Special Operations (SpecOps) groups who participated in murky undercover missions that typically involved investigating, snooping and hectic seat-of-the-pants assignments with minimal input from Alliance Command. There was a deep rivalry between the two branches. Although SpecForce members recognized the need for SpecOps, and some considered them capable soldiers, they tended to think of Special Operations agents as amateurs who relied on luck to complete their missions. Likewise SpecOps agents tended to regard their counterparts as a group of arrogant, over-trained grunts with over inflated opinions of their own importance. Recruitment and training ]] Very few regular soldiers were capable of becoming SpecForce troopers, and all volunteered for service. Imperial special forces candidates underwent extensive examination to determine political, physical, educational, technical, and mental suitability; they also performed extensive background checks which included interviews of family, friends, and acquaintances to ensure political loyalty. The Alliance did its best to perform background checks, but was limited in its ability to perform interviews of relatives and associates. The SpecForce vetting process was run by Alliance Intelligence and comprised mainly of interviews, interrogations, and examinations. The vetting process was given a high priority, and resulted in the low penetration of the organization by Imperial agents. The Empire's anti-alien stance gave the Alliance an advantage in creating SpecForce, giving them a large pool of non-Human candidates eager to oppose the New Order. Many of these species possessed abilities particularly suited to covert military operations. In addition, the Empire's oppressive rule caused many Humans to seek service with the Alliance, allowing for a more selective recruitment policy for SpecForce. SpecForce candidates had already undergone basic and specialist training. When selected for special forces, the troopers would go through another round of advanced training at a drop-camp. The trainees were taught advanced skills essential for special forces service, but the primary purpose of this phase of training was to weed out candidates lacking the drive to succeed in their missions. The standards in every area of training were high, and the drop-out rate was equally high. Many Alliance regular troopers were SpecForce washouts, though there was no stigma attached to such failure. Simply having been accepted onto a special forces training program was a mark of a trooper's superior qualities, and many failed candidates went on to have successful careers within the Alliance military. Basic SpecForce training included two months of weapons drill using blasters, heavy weaponry, hand weapons and slugthrowers. They also performed numerous deployment scenarios, including stealth drills, overland marches, and para-sail and dropship deployments. The exercises would increase in intensity and difficulty as the trainees progressed through the program, and included live-fire drills and failure-rigged reenactments. This stage of training concluded with a realistic war game scenario, the completion of which meant advancement to a further four weeks of specialization training. In addition to military training, recruits attended lectures on military history. For specialization training, recruits were sent to another training camp where they would train in a particular area of expertise, depending on their natural attributes and proficiencies. This training built on the specific areas learned in basic SpecForce training, and prepared them for assignment to one of the many specialized regiments within SpecForce divisions. The identity of SpecForce recruits was a high-level secret. If the enemy discovered their identities, personality profiles to be constructed and/or their friends and family could be targeted. The trainee ID card carried a holoflat, rank, and security clearance only. SpecForce Trooper The SpecForces were the ground troops of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, assigned to fleets to be sent on detached duties to sectors that needed them. Infantry platoons of SpecForces were organized into formal units, much like the Imperial Army, but in the field they were also divided into task forces, consisting of as many soldiers and as much equipment needed to carry out a specific military objective.1 The average SpecForce trooper was a few years older than a regular Rebel soldier, had above average physical and mental abilities and was dedicated to the Alliance and its cause. While they tended to be a little wild in their private lives, when in the field they generally were extremely professional. Like most Alliance soldiers SpecForce troopers were idealistic and committed to the Rebellion against the Empire, although they tended to be even more dedicated. A great number of them were former soldiers from the Empire. SpecForce troopers were trained to use a variety of tactics, easily adapting to different environments and finding ways to take cover and hold a position in any situation. Hand blasters were standard for every soldier, but some divisions have been known to specialize in particular equipment for some of the more dangerous missions. SpecForce Officer A large percentage of the Human SpecForce officers were ex-Imperial military officers who were extensively screened by Alliance Intelligence. They were generally a little younger than regular military officers especially towards the high ranks. The nature of special forces often meant that advancement was faster than regular forces partly because of the higher rate of attrition. SpecForce officers were highly intelligent, creative, and physically fit. They were among the finest military officers in the galaxy during the Rebellion era. Routine SpecForce personnel spent most of their time training, maintaining their equipment, and traveling. The boredom of preparation was punctuated by moments of extreme danger and stress. When SpecForce troopers were called-up for action, their tours of duty tended to be short and exceptionally unpleasant, in contrast to regular tours that were generally longer and carried a lower level of danger. The major difference between regular and SpecForce soldiers was that the latter actively saw trouble more frequently and were expected to function reliably. SpecForce organization In half an hour I can put together a strike team of twenty soldiers, capable of succeeding at any mission, under any circumstances, anywhere in the galaxy General Crix Madine SpecForce was organized into formal units much like its Imperial counterparts: divisions, regiments, companies, platoons, squads, and fire teams. However, due to scarcity of resources, they rarely operated as full units, instead organizing into taskforces consisting of the appropriate number of soldiers required for a certain mission. Divisions SpecForce consisted of about 10 divisions. One division, Command Division, was under General Crix Madine (via subordinate officers) and was attached to Alliance High Command at all times. It possessed regiments representing all SpecForce specializations, which were assigned to various elements of High Command. Five other divisions were allocated more or less regionally, with the balance deployed as rogue divisions operationally attached to sector commands or other SpecForce divisions as needed. The regionally allocated divisions were commanded by a general; the rogue divisions were theoretically under the command of whatever divisional general they were assigned to, but in practice were primarily commanded by the colonels of their regiments. Regiments Regiments were made up of three to six companies (four being the norm), and were commanded by a colonel or, less often, a major. They were consistently numbered within each division by the type of specialist they provided. Like divisions, they were more of an accounting unit than a unit that actually saw action; they provided the pool from which taskforces were assembled. More on regimental specialties are described below. Companies Companies usually consisted of five platoons and were commanded by a major or captain, and were identified by aurebesh letters. There were two types: order companies (also order of battle companies or OBCs), consisting of a single specialist type and used for asset tracking rather than actually seeing action; and taskforce companies (TFCs), which were comprised field mission units and were typically composed of two or three platoons of one specialist type, with two or three other platoons of mixed type rounding the unit out and providing operational flexibility. These companies were typically the largest unit to see combat. Platoons Platoons consisted of four squads and were commanded by a lieutenant. They were designated numerically. Squads Squads consisted of five to fifteen troopers and were commanded by a sergeant. They were designated by color, and were primarily of a particular trooper specialty, though cross-attached elements (usually attached fire teams from other specialties) were common. A notable squad that fought at the Battle of Hoth was 4th Squad commanded by Corporal Jobin. Fire Teams Fire teams consisted of two to five troopers, supervised by a senior trooper (often called first trooper in scandocs). They were the basic tactical element of squad maneuvering, and it was recommended that troopers not act in the field without their fire team members. Taskforces Taskforces were the real units which performed SpecForce missions. They could be of nearly any size, though most were company or platoon sized. They were commanded by a taskforce commander (TC), a temporary position given an officer assigned to command a given mission. The TC was not a coveted position, and was given out on the basis of ability; usually, the TC was of a rank appropriate for the size of the taskforce (e.g. a platoon-sized taskforce would typically have a lieutenant as TC). Once selected, the TC would requisition as many appropriately-sized units as were needed for the mission, subject to availability, to comprise the taskforce. Foot Note This Organisation is used within a RESOLUTION Plots and is so part of the RSNverse of Star Wars lore. In the RSNverse, the Organisations history may run a different course to that of canon or the EU. Category:Organisations